The Killers – Leeds O2 Academy – 17 Aug 2012 -‘You’re gonna miss me when I’m gone’

It kinda went something like:
wine. vodka. The Killers. epic. cider. wine. Dave. Mark. vodka. cider. dying. Worth it.

Let’s start at the beginning.

It’s been a long time since I’ve been so excited for a show and in such utter disbelief I was going. I managed to score two tickets on the presale and offered the spare ticket to one of my bestest friends, hoping she would say yes. She did. And I knew it was gonna be epic. PARTY PEOPLE!

We got to the venue about 20 mins before doors, polished off the wine, got in and headed straight for the bar. Start as we mean to go on.

We found a good spot along the side and could see the stage relatively well. I didn’t care. It was The Killers comeback. In Leeds. It was gonna be epic no matter what.

The Killers came out and the crowd went absolutely mental. I’d missed that. I knew this was gonna be special, I could feel it.

Set list:
1. Runaways
2. Somebody Told Me
3. Smile Like You Mean It
4. Spaceman
5.The Rising Tide
6. Miss Atomic Bomb
7. For Reasons Unknown
8. Bling (Confession of a King)
9. Shadowplay
10. Human
11. A Dustland Fairytale
12. Read My Mind
13. Mr. Brightside
14. All These Things That I've Done
Encore:
15. Flesh And Bone
16.Jenny Was a Friend of Mine
17. When You Were Young

The set list was my dream come true. Perfect. Wall to wall hits, new songs and the best songs. It was something I could only dream of the last few years, I’ve missed these boys.


1. Runaways
‘Runaways’ sounds EPIC live. The crowd singing all the words from the first note. I got emotional.“But that was the night that she broke down and held my hand. Teenage rush, she said, ain't we all just runaways, We got time, But that ain't much”. My boys were back. It wasn’t a song I loved on first listen but I do now. It’s more personal to Brandon than his enigmatic persona. This band stole my heart one day in summer 2005 and they ain't ever gonna give it back. I would never want them to.









2. Somebody Told Me
‘Somebody told me’ was amazing. It’s a song that has been overplayed by clubs, radio and myself over the years but it felt so good tonight. It felt like it used to at student clubs in 2004 when it was first around. When I loved the song every Wednesday night but never knew of The Killers. I jumped up and down like my life depended on it. 2012, 2004, same difference.







3. Smile Like You Mean It
‘Smile like you mean it’ was that song in summer 2005 that stole my heart. It’s the reason I was stood there last night. It made me buy hot fuss and the rest is history. That opening note, it makes my heart skip a beat. I still have a fire in my belly for this song. I jump, I grin and I really do mean it, I sing for my life and it makes me feel alive. One of my favourite songs of all time, by any band.

4. Spaceman.
“oh oh oh, oh oh ohhhh”. 2300 people. Magic. ‘Spaceman’ is my second favourite song on day and age. It’s just an epic song. Crazy, mad, FUNNNNN song! love it! It crowd was going mental, as was I. I managed to tip half my cider over me. I didn’t care. ‘The spaceman say everybody look down’ :D

5.The Rising Tide
I wasn’t overly taken by ‘The Rising Tide’ at The Scala in London last year, but tonight I did like it, it needs many more plays to make my mind up.

6. Miss Atomic Bomb
This was the stand out moment. I fell in love with this song. It’s rare for my soul to instantly gravitate towards a song. It’s happened only a handful of times in my life. I became instantly obsessed. I can't remember how it goes but I love it. There was this one lyric that yelled at me: "you got a foolish heart.. the fall from grace was the hardest part". Almost a week later it still penetrates my thoughts and I’m still talking about ‘miss atomic bomb’. I love Brandon’s rock and roll defiance, “you're gonna miss me when I'm gone”, yes Brandon, why yes I am.

7. For Reasons Unknown
Brandon got out his guitar, put the strap over his head, and asked: “do you know what song is next?” of course I do, Brandon with a guitar only means one thing: For Reasons Unknown! It took me back to the very first night I seen Brandon with that guitar on the Sam’ town tour in 2007. It took me back to Nottingham in 2008, with the little speech and I called out to Brandon with the ‘ooooohhhs’ long before half the arena had caught on. It was instinct. I’ve always loved this song. It’s a stand out track on Sam’s town and it sounded so amazing. I was gobsmacked, I wasn't expecting it! The crowd singing back without being asked. Including the ooooohhhhhs. 99% of people in the room knew the band and knew what to do. top crowd ever.









8. Bling (Confession of a King)
‘Bling’ was never a fave of mine on the cd but live it is amazing. I just couldn't wait to get to the ‘higher and higher’ bit and sing my heart out. Such a tune. Won’t ever forget seeing this song live in Hyde Park. "Higher and higher we're gonna take it down to the wire, HIGHER AND HIGHER..." :D

9. Shadowplay
‘Shadowplay’ seemed to be being loved by the crowd, I do like it but I'd quicker ditch the cover song. I’d have much preferred the version of ‘My List’ mashed into Bowie's ‘when you rock and rock with me’ from 2007. Tonight I found a new love for Sam’s town and fond memories of the Sam’s town tour.

10. Human
humannnnnnn! I LOVE this song, it’s second only to smile like you mean it. It’s a tune! There is nothing else to say apart from FULL OF WIN. Just for the record, I’m dancer ;)

11. A Dustland Fairytale
awww dustland. It kills me. I remember the first time I played day and age, I cried. It’s beautiful. Made even more poignant knowing the song was about Brandon’s late Mother. It’s emotional, Brandon’s voice was incredible. "Saw cinderella in a party dress, but she was looking for a night gown". The crowd singing it back to the boys was beautiful.

12. Read My Mind
read my mind!!!! I have always adored this song. It’s got the most amazing sound. Also so full of win. I was so excited it was in the set list. I was starting to be absolutely roasted and knackered from all the jumping up and down for human, the little break for dustland and then more singing and jumping to read my mind. But carry on I will…













13. Mr. Brightside
… going mental to Mr Brightside is a necessity. There is nothing I can say. The only song The Killers have performed at every single concert. There is a reason for that. It is AMAZINGGGGG. It’s just the vibe, I wish I could live off that feeling. I was however practically f**ked by the end of this song with even more singing and jumping. I was praying for a slower song, so I could catch my breath and let my heart rate slow down but…

14. All These Things That I've Done
… there was little hope of catching a breath. I turned to Hils and said "when there's nowhere else to run". I just knew it what was coming: Straight into all these things that I’ve done. Someone please tell The Killers to break up the high tempo songs in the set, my poor poor lungs. Stand still I won’t, sing and jump I will. F**ked. Practically dead. Worth it.

Encore:

15. Flesh and Bone
I now see why everybody for weeks has been talking about flesh and bone. It’s an epic anthem. It will be a song that lives on in set lists years from now. Like Mr Brightside, All These Things and For Reasons Unknown. it's a hit!

16. Jenny Was a Friend of Mine
Jenny was a friend of mine! Not a fave of mine but It still makes me sing though 'There ain't no motive for this crime; Jenny was a friend of mine'. Always fun. I still remember that video from one of the festivals in 2005 "it's true, she was" I always remember that and it makes me smile.

Brandon thanked the crowd and said that we (the UK) were the first to ‘get’ them and they were really grateful and wanted to know what we think of the new stuff.







17. When You Were Young
wywy! I love this song live. I was never too keen on the studio version but there is something so beautiful about the crowd singing "The devil's water it ain’t so sweet, you don't have to drink right now". And then the song erupts and so does the crowd. It’s the song that when we leave arenas on the big tours people get the whole crowd singing while exiting the venue. I was so sad it was coming to an end. It seemed like the quickest hour and a half ever. Sign of an epic show. It was amazing. Best killers show ever. Honestly.










After-show Partying.

We headed to the pub, drenched and drunk; amazingly they let us in, and served us LOL. More vodka. More wine. Once it stopped raining we went round to the tour bus and saw Dave come out, he was lovely even if I didn’t get the chance to nab him. Mark came out and was also lovely. I asked for a pic and I got his customary ‘yeah, ok’. Lovely pic of mark, hideously drunk pic of me. Ooops. I look horrendous. Off my face, hair stuck to me, sweaty mess, but awwww mark. Never properly met him before! Brandon and Ronnie came out a different door the other end of the bus and totally escaped past my drunken self. Damn! Never mind LOL.





We then decided it was a good idea to head back to the pub. They let us in again LOL. I remember there being vodka. And cider. And a lot of singing, dancing and going mental to Rhianna’s ‘we found love’ and flo rida’s ‘wild ones’. I was HYPED. Thank you so much Hils for being so damn amazing. Thank you for agreeing to come and being the life and soul of the party. Thank you for listening to me talk shit from the deepest darkest corners of my heart. Love you girl!

It was a great great night. Dave lapping it up, Brandon being wonderful, mark being mark, Ronnie being metal, I love these boys. I still can't believe it all happened. Jumping up & down, grinning like a goon, getting emotional, singing for my life. LOVE. I would do pretty much anything to have tonight over again. The Killers make me feel so happy and freeee. Tonight is the light that never goes out.

Via McDonalds we got to the hotel (don’t really HOW lol). I had a horrendous dream I was being attacked by two kittens who weren't scratching me just digging their claws in and not letting go. And then there was the drunk guy outside at about 5am who kept shouting, ‘Amy, amyyyyyy, let me in amyyyyy, amy this is a pisstake…... it wasn’t funny at the time but it was after. Hils cracks me up ‘Amy think’s you’re an arse’ genius. LMAO!

It was totally worth the hangover and feeling like death. Is there anything worse than being on a train with a load of football louts when hungover? kill me. please. I NEED me some cheese and onion walkers like NOW.

But it’s ok, The Killers are back, and they are as epic as ever.